Tag: lupus

Informative graphics of general autoimmune disease and symptoms known as invisible illnesses. Invisible because outwardly we “Don’t Look Sick”. Oh my, please think before you tell a person suffering internally they don’t look sick. It’s not really a compliment.

Informative graphics of general autoimmune disease and symptoms known as invisible illnesses. Invisible because outwardly we “Don’t Look Sick”. Oh my, please think before you tell a person suffering that they, don’t look sick. It’s not really a compliment.

Common symptoms that may help answer your questions as to why your sick all the time

Illnesses, and symptoms, that I have experienced over the course of my life, pre and post diagnosis are briefly detailed here. I’m currently experiencing a horrible bout of chronic sinusitis, third course of antibiotics, and no end in site. Which is why I thought briefly detailing what seems to be common illnesses, may not be that “common” and if you experience the following, ask your doctor to run an immunoglobulin test its a simple blood test to see if your immune system is functioning correctly. Or contact the IDF for resources.

Chronic Sinusitis—takes longer to clear, does not clear in one course of antibiotics. This is a big indicator that something is not *right*. According to the latest statistics, “Prevalance of Sinusitis: Health care experts estimate that 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Health care workers report 33 million cases of chronic sinusitis to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually. (Source: excerpt from Sinusitis, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)”

WHY is this important? Look at these numbers, 33 MILLION-cases a year, now, the patients are being treated, re treated, and continue to suffer DECADES, when they *may have an immune Defeciency, yet the patients are left to suffer, and are never informed there may be more to their Chronic Sinusitis. I will touch more on this topic as the blog progresses.

2. Bronchitis: NON smoker, or Smoker, wether brought on by a virus or bacteria, it always becomes a case of chronic bronchitis. Symptoms include shortness of breath, especially with exertion, and a loose cough that produces large amount of phlegm or mucus, or deep cough without production of mucous People with acute bronchitis may also have wheezing (a whistling sound made with breathing), *fever (some PI patients RARELY run fevers) fatigue, and chest tightness or pain that occurs with coughing. Inhalers, steroids, antibiotics are needed. Often the bronchitis cough lasts for weeks. There are many other symptoms, so please don’t rely on just these. If you tend to get bronchitis often, this may be an indicator of a poorly functioning immune system.

Prevalence of bronchitis Incidence (annual) of Acute Bronchitis: 4.6 per 100 (NHIS96: acute bronchitis); 14.2 million cases annually. 14.2 MILLION cases annually, again of this huge number, how many people are going misdiagnosed and or undiagnosed due to medical ignorance in the field of immune Defeciencies.

3. Ear Infections: Also extremely common with those with immune systems that are not working properly.

4. Pneumonia: Many people with an immune Defeciency suffer from Pneumonia, and require invasive treatment to get well. Sending an immune compromised patient home with an antibiotic, will only land the patient in the hospital fighting for their life.

5. Autoimmune Problems: This can occur throughout any organ in your body. The bodies immune system does not recognize itself and instead, attacks and destroys any organ or system. Prior to diagnosis, my body destroyed my intestines, my thyroid, my lungs, my heart, and my joints, to name a few. I had all of these different ailments, no one could connect the dots. Lupus is also very common with CVID.

6. ZPacs are ineffective for a person who has an immune Defeciency.

7. You may not develop fevers, unless you are so ill, you may be near death before your body responds with a fever. This is variable for a lot of patients, but studies are coming out indicating most of us don’t run fevers very often.

8. Often labeled a hypochondriac and referred to psychiatrists.

9. Basic CBC bloodwork shows abnormal albumin or globulin (if so, this is a HUGE indicator that you need to find a clinical immunologist, do NOT believe what your trusted primary tells you. I did, and wasted two years believing her. If you basic blood work shows any abnormality in these two categories, insist on an immunoglobulin blood test.

10. Unusual and serious hospitalizations, without ever getting a true indicator as to your diagnosis.

11. Being misdiagnosed with sarcoidosis.

12. Extreme fatigue.

13. Gastrointestinal problems.

This is not an all exhaustive list, as there are many more factors, when actually diagnosed. However, these are the MOST common physical illnesses that I have encountered all of my life, and from others who also suffer from primary immunedfeciencies, or CVID.

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H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2019 H.R.1044 - Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 H.J.Res.46 - Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019. S.47 - John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act H.Res.109 - Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a […]